Packaging machine



May 10, 1938. R, H WARD 2,116,895

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct 20, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 6&4, (4M LScwkmioq. ATTORNY May 10, 1938. s. R. HOWARD PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct.20. 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 =2 Fll FLEI INVENTOIR BY'"""'f &J4-2 (AMM- ATTORNEY May 10,1938.

5. R. HOWARD PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 20. 1953 IINVENTORK' Maw, (mafia ATTORNEY May 10, 1938, s. HOWARD 2,116,895

PACKAGING MACHINE I 7 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed Oct. 20 1933 INVENTOR Ji m M4ATTOR EY 1938- s. R. How A RD V PQCKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct. 20, 1935 '1Sheets-Sheet s BY gm-K. Hm! daMQmM ATTORNEY May 10, 1938. s. R. HOWARDPACKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct. 20. 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 GKMJLQ, ATTOR EYINVENTOR Patented May 10,1938

* PATENT OFFlCE 2,116,895 PACKAGING MACHINE Stanley R. Howard, Milton,Mass., assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 20, 1933,Serial No. 694,417

11 Claims.

This-invention relates to a packaging machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel packaging machinecapable of checking the weights of filled packages and forseiectivelyseparating those packages whose weights vary from a predeterminedstandard. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel automaticweighing machine capable of filling and weighing successive packages andof selectively separating those packages whose weights vary from apredetermined standard.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to providea novel automatic weigh-i ing machine embodying check weighing mechanismas an integral and unitary part thereof for filling and weighingsuccessive packages and then selectively separating those packages whoseweights vary from a predetermined standard.

With these objectsin view and such others as may hereinafter appear, theinvention consists in the automatic weighing machine and in the variousstructures, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed and particularly defined in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automatic weighing machineembodying the present inven'tion; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of themachine with portions omitted to show the mechanism for controlling theweighing operation; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the weighing machineviewed from the right in Fig, 1;- Fig. 4 is an end elevation of themachine viewed from the left in Fig.1; Fig. 5 is a show the conveyingand discharge mechanism; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken onthe line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 'I is a detail to be referred to; Fig. 8 isa wiring diagram to be referred to; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional viewtaken on the line. 9-9 of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a' sectional view taken onthe' line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11

'is a detail in side elevation showingpawl actuating mechanism to bereferred to; Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the machine with portionsomitted to show a control device to be referred to; Fig. 13 is a wiringdiagramtov be referred to;

and Fig. 14 is a detail in plan of the left hand' portion of the machineillustrated ln Fig. 1.

* Referring now to the drawings, the invention is illustrated asembodied in an automatic weighs,

ing machine of the type known in the art as a two scale weigher. Themachine illustrated is similar inconstructipn and operation, excepting55 as hereinafter pointed out, to the machines ilplan of the machinewith portions omittedto lustrated in the patents to Stanley R. HowardNo. 1,724,591, issued August 13, 1929, and

William S. Cleaves No. 1,739,061, issued December 10, 1929, to whichreference may be had.

In general, the machine illustrated in the draw- 5 ings comprises a bulkloading mechanism I2 adapted to deliver to a carton positioned on ascale pan I49 located immediately beneath it a bulk load of material,and provision is made, as will be described, for moving the carton afterit has received its bulk load onto an intermediate platform which may bereferred to as a tapping mechanism which operates to shake down the bulkload to settle it intothe carton after which the carton is advanced to ascale pan I of the final 7 loading mechanism. The final loadingmechanism comprises in part a drip hopper l6 which delivers a stream ofmaterial being weighed into the c'arton which has previously beensupplied with the bulk load. 'When'receiving the final load, a carton ispositioned upon a scale pan I50 mounted upon the scale beam I52. Afterthe'carton has received its final load, provision is made, as will bedescribed, for moving the carton onto a check weighing platform whichoperates to check weigh the carton, and in accordance with the preferredform of the present inventi'on,provision is made for controlling thedispositionof the cartons as they-are discharged from the check weighingscale according to variations in the weights of the cartons from apredetermined value so that those cartons which are of a predeterminedweight are discharged in a normal manner from the machine and thosecartons which vary either above or below the predetermined weight aredischarged in a separatepath to be segregated together.

, As herein-shown, the empty cartons 46 are fed into the machine by aconstantly driven inlet conveyor 44 until the foremost carton thereonengages a fixed stop 48 and a pusher plate 50 is 40 arranged tothereafter engage the first carton on the inlet. conveyor and push itinto a position where it may be engaged by a pusher arm 52 on an endlessdriven chain 54 and moved beneath the bulk loading hopper and upon thescale pan I49. The pusher plate 50 is arranged to operate in timedrelation to the series of pusher arms 52 on the conveyor chain 54 whichintermittently feed the cartons in succession first from a predeterminedweight, those cartons which do not vary in weight from the prescribed.

limits being discharged in one path and the cartons which vary from saidprescribed limits being discharged in another path.

As above stated, in general, the construction of the illustratedweighing machine comprises that of the known automatic weighing machinecom monly referred to as a two scale weigher such as is illustrated inthe patent to Scales, No. 924,191, issued June 8, 1909. For anunderstanding of the operation of such weighing machine, it may bestated that the weighing machine operates in successive cycles. Duringthe first part of each cycle in the operation of the machine, theloading, tapping, and weighing operations described take place. Afterthe cartons on the scale pans have received their weight, the secondpart of the cycle is permitted to begin and the feeding mechanismisactuated to advance a carton to a position previously occupied by thepreceding one. In the machine illustrating the preferred. embodiments ofthe invention, a fresh carton is fed into a position under the bulkloading'mechanism and the carton with its bulk load is fed onto thefinal weight scale beam and the carton previously on the final weightscale beam is fed onto the check weighing scale and the completelyweighed carton is fed from the check weighing scale onto one of .aplurality of discharge conveyors according towhether the weight of thecarton is within or without the prescribed limits. The driving powernecessary to operate various mechanisms hereinafter described isobtained from a continuously rotated main driving shaft 38 throughclutch mechanisms which-are enaged and disengaged at the proper time inthe operation of the machine, as will be described.

The main driving shaft 38 is rotated from any suitable source of powersuch as an electric motor,

not shown, through a driving shaft 28- mounted in suitable bearingsformed in the machine frame, cooperating bevel gears 26, 28 mounted onthe respective shafts 28,- 38 'and suitable connections with the sourceof power.

Provision is made for moving the cartons to the successive stationsduring the operation of the machine and, as shown in Fig. .1, aplurality of carrier fingers 52 are attached to a chain 54 which runsaround an idler sprocket 56 on a stud 51 journalledin suitable bearingsformed in the machine frame and around a driving sprocket 58 which issecurely fastened to a vertical shaft 68 rotatably supported in bearingsformed in brackets 34, 64. The vertical shaft 68 is adapted to be drivenfrom the main driving shaft 38 through a shaft I2 which is rotatablymounted in a bracket I4. The shaft I2 is connected to the shaft 68 bycooperating bevel gears 68, 18 fast on the shafts 68, 12, respectively,and is slightly offset from the main driving shaft in order to provide aslow start and stop so that thecarton moving mechanism will start andstop gradually. A clutch mechanism is provided for controlling therotation of the shaft I2 and, as herein shown, comprises a disc I6mounted free on the shaft 38, a-pawl 88 mounted on said disc and aratchet wheel 48 fast onthe main'driving shaft 38. A spring 84 attached'to the face of the disc I6 normally tends' to urge the pawl so intocontact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 48. Provision is made forcontrolling the operation of the pawl" to engage and disengage it. fromthe cooperating ratchet wheel 48 at the proper interval, as will bedescribed. IYhe shaft I2 is connected to the disc I6 through ananti-friction roller I8I mounted on a pin I83 formed in the bevel gearI8 and which projects into a radial slot I85 formed in the face of thedisc I6.

' The loading and weighing mechanism usedin the illustrated weighingmachine will now be described. The. bulk loading mechanism, asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, operates during the first half of eachcycle to deliver a measured quantity of the material to bepacked'slightly less in amount than the final load which the carton isto receive into a carton which has been fed into position beneath saidloading mechanism by the pusher arm 52 during the second 'half of thepreceding cycle. The loading mechanisms comprise supply hoppers 98 whichare provided with pipes 92 which guidethe material to be weighed intofeeding hoppers 94. In order to insure that the material to be weighedwill flow freely through the supply tubes 92 into the feeding hoppers94, provision is made for agitating the.

material and, as shown in Fig. 3, stirrers I98, I92 are mounted onshafts I89, I I2 journalledin the supply tubes 92, and provision is madefor rotating said stirrers at the proper speed during the first half ofeach cycle. To this end sprockets I85, I81 are secured to the shaftsI89, H2 and chains I88 engage said sprockets and sprockets I84 which areloosely mounted upon the continuously rotated shaft 38. Thesprocketwheels I84 'are the driven member of a clutch and provisionprovided with shutters 96 arranged to be opened and closed at the propertime in the operation of the machine, as will now be described. Theshutters 98 are secured to rock shafts 98, I88 journalled in the hoppers94 and are operatively connected with rocking levers II8 loosely mountedon the stirrer shafts II2 through arms I82, I84 and links I86, I88. Therocking levers II8 are operated to open and close the shutters 96through adjustable connecting rods II4, one end of which is pivotallymounted on one arm of the rocking levers H8 and the other end pivotallyconnected to rocking levers II6 which are frictionally mounted on pins II 8. When the rocking levers II8 arein the position shown in Fig. 3, theshutters 86 will be in their open position, and when the rocking leversare moved to the left, the shutters 96 will be closed. The rockinglevers II6 are operated by means of cam blocks I28 mounted on rotatingdiscs I22 which cooperate with cam blocks I24 mounted on the rockinglevers I I6 during one-half of the revolution of the discs I22 to movethe rocking levers II 6 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, thus openingthe shutters 96, and during the second half of the revolution of thediscs I22 the cam blocks I28 contact with cam blocks I2I mounted on therocking levers I I6 to move said. rocking levers to the left, as viewedin Fig. 3, and close the shutters 96. Thediscs I22 are loosely mountedupon the continuously rotated main driving shaft 28 of the machine andare the driven members of discs during the first part of each cycle inthe 8 operation of the machine and, as shown in Fig.

2, ratchet wheels I28 are mounted fast on the driving shaft 80 adjacentthe discs I22. Pawls .126 are mounted on the face of the discs I22adjacent the ratchet wheels I28 and are adapted to cooperate with theteeth thereof. The pawls,

I 26 are normally urged into engagement withthe teeth of the ratchetwheels by springs I30. Provisionis made for'holding the pawls I26 out ofengagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 8 I28 while the machineis operating on the weighing and carton moving parts of its cycle and,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, yokes-I34 which are mounted on pins I36 freeto rock in bearings formed in arms of brackets 38 are provided with pinsI46, I48 mountedjn the ends thereof and adapted to engage the pawls I26and hold them out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheels I28.The yokes are oscillated in a direction longitudinally of the maindriving shaft 30 to present either the upper or lower pins I46, I48 inthe path of the pawls I26 and hold them out of engagement with the teethof the ratchet wheels. I28.

During the carton filling operation of the maoted at the other ends toarms I33 formed on the yokes I34, and provision is made for rocking therock shafts I60 as the scale beams make their weights. As shown in Fig.13, scale beams I52 are provided with arms I54 attached to thecounterweight ends thereof and which are adapted to open switches I56 ofelectric circuits. The circuits in which the switches I56 are connectedhave included therein electro-magnets I51 having armatures I58 fast onthe rock shafts I60. It will be seen that when the circuits are openedbyethe switches I56, the armatures of the electro-magnets will be freed,allowing the rock shafts I60 to bcrocked by-the springs 8I8 and thusthrough the connections described rock the yokes I84 and disengage thepawls I26 from the pins I46 and allow the discs I22 to rotate throughone-half a revolution, at which point the pawls I26 will be engaged bythe pins I48 and remain engaged until the said pins are moved out of thepath of the pawls when the yokes are rocked in a reverse direction, aswill be described. During the revolution of the discs I22 through theirhalf revolution, the gates 86 will be closed by the cam, as previouslydescribed.

Provision is made for rotating the stirrers I80, I82 during the cartonfilling operation of the machine through the clutch members I82, I84,

' previously described. For. this purpose the discs I22 are providedwith cam surfaces I10 adapted to cooperate with cam rollers I14 mountedon arms I16 of hell crank levers I15 and move the clutch members I82which are mounted on the second arms I18 of the bell crank levers intoand out of engagement with the cooperating clutch members I84. The camrollers I14 are maintained in contact with the cam surfaces I10 by.springs 200 positioned as shown in Fig. 2. The

2,116,896 clutches. Provision is made for rotating said cam surfaces I10are designed so that the clutch members I82, I84 will be moved intoengagement during the carton filling operation of the machine and willbe out of engagement while the machine is operating on the carton movingportion of the cycle.

During the portion of each cycle of operation cycle of operation untilthe load scales have com-, pleted their weights. For this purpose, thearms 10f the machine in which a carton is being moved I18 of the bellcrank levers I15 of the loading .mechanism are connected to pawlcontrolling latches, the arm of the bell crank lever of the finalloading mechanism being directly connected to a pawl controlling latch88'by alink 202 and the arm I18 of the bell crank lever I15 of theprimary loading mechanism being connected to a pawl controlling latch 89by a link 220 attached to the extended arm of the bell crank lever I18at one end and at the other end to an arm lever- 2"; which is freelymounted on a pin M8 and has the other end thereof connected by aconnecting rod 2I4 to the pawl controlling latch 88.

The, pawl controlling latches 88, 88 are arranged to cooperate with thepawl 80 of the pawl and ratchet clutch 80, 40, the ratchet wheel 40'being fast on the main driving shaft 30 and the pawl 80 being mounted ona pawl carrying disc 16 secured to a separate shaft 12, as previouslydescribed. The pawl controlling latches 88, 88 are provided with pawlengaging projections 208 for holding the pawl 80 out of engagement withthe ratchet 40 and a recessed portion adapted to permit the freerotation of the. pawl without disengaging it from the ratchet. In orderthat the pawl engaging projections 208 may be moved back into the pathof travel of the pawl 80 in dependently of the movement of the arms. I18of the bell crank levers of the primary and final provided with slipjoint connections I28, I3I and one face of the pawl carrying disc 16 isprovided with a camsurface 18 which'is arranged to engage withprojections 2| 0 on the pawl stops 88, 89 to move the pawl stoppingprojections 208 into the path of travel of the pawl 80 and disengagethev pawl after it has made one complete revolution. The pawl stops 88,89, the slip joint connections I28, I3I, and the connecting rods 202, 2|4 are alike in construction and located one in the rear of the other, aswill be apparent from an inspection of Fig. .2. The slip jointconnections I28, I3I comprise forks provided with the usual frictionplugs, not shown, which bear against the rods 202,. 2I4 with sufficientpressure to withdraw the pawl stops88, 89, from engagement with the pawl80, without slipping. However, the rods are permitted to slip in theforks when the cam surface 10' strikes the lug 2I0 on -the pawl stops88, 88 to rock the pawl stops back into engaging position with the pawl80, while the levers I18 remain in the non-weighing position, asillustrated in Fig. 2. The shaft 12 is connected to the vertical shaft60, as previously described, and consequently it will be seen that the;movement of the carton at the start of the second part of each cycle ofoperation of the machine cannot take place unless the pawl controllinglatches 88, 83 are in their inoperative positions or, in other words,swung to the right from the position shown-in Fig. 1 to permit the pawl88 to engage the ratchet 48. This condition, as will be observed, isonly obtained 'when both the primary and final weighing scales havecompleted their-weights and have been reset, as will be described. I

As above stated, the operation of the weighing machine takes place insuccessive half cycles, in which cam discs I22 are permitted to makeone-half a. revolution, accordingly as the pins I46, I48 upon the yokesI34 are moved to successively engage the tails of the pawls I26 as theyokes are rocked into their two positions of operation. The movement ofthe carton by the pusher arms 52 occurs during one-half of each cycleand the weighing operation occurs during the remaining half of eachcycle. The manner in which the yokes I34 are rocked to disengage thepins I46 from the pawls I26 and allow the discs I22 to be rotatedthrough one-half a revolution as the scale beams make their weights, atwhich point the pawls I26 are engaged by the pins I48, has beenpreviously described. During the time the pawls I26 are engaged by thepins I48 the machine operates on a carton moving portion of its cycle.

Provision is made for rocking the yokes I34 in order to disengage thepins I48 from the pawls I28 and allow themachineto start on the weighingportion of its cycle at the end of the carton moving portion of thecycle, and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 14, this is accomplished by theresetting mechanism which will now be described. A shaft 6I mounted insuitable bearings formed in the frame of the machine adjacent the shaft12 is driven therefrom by gears 268, 264 fast on the shafts 12,'6I,respectively, through -an idler gear 262 mounted free on a stud 263. Acam 266 fast on the shaft 6| is arranged to move a resetting bar 268 inthe direction shown bythe arrow in Fig. 2. Accordingly, a cam roll 218adapted to cooperate with the cam 266 is. carried by a lever 212 securedto one end of a pin 214 which is mounted in a bracket 216 and hasmounted fast on the other end thereof a lever 218 which is attached tothe resetting bar 268. An elongated slot formed in the lever 218 00- Ioperates'with a stud 288 fast on the resetting bar 268, thus providing'a slidable connection. The resetting bar is mounted for reciprocationand is supported by pins 28I, 283 formed on the endsof levers 282, 284which are mounted free to 'rock on studs285, 281. The cam roll 218 ismaintained in contact with the cam 266 by means of a spring 286. Theresetting bar is provided with pins 288, 289 adapted to contact witharms 282, 294 which are mounted on the rock shafts I68.

From the above description, it will be seen that as the carton conveyingmechanism is operated, the resetting mechanism will also be actuatedthrough the mechanism above described to rock the rock shafts I68 andthat the yokes I34 will be moved in a clockwise direction through theconnections previously described, thus positioning the pins I46 in aposition to engage the pawls I26 after the discs I22 have made one-halfa.

revolution. v

"Provision is made for pushing the cartons from an incoming conveyorbelt 44 into a position to be engaged by the carrier fingers 52 and,

as illustrated in Fig. 3, a carton pusher 58 is mounted on a bar 388which is pivotally supported by outer and inner links 382, 384,respectively. The link 382 is pivotally connected to an extension 386 ofthe bracket 3I8. The lower end of the link 384 is freely mounted on astud 388 and, as will be seen from Fig. 3, the linkage above describedallows the carton pusher 58 to be operated in a substantially horizontalplane. A connecting rod 3I2 is pivotally connected at one end to the arm384 and has the other end attached to a crank 3I'4 fast on a shaft 3I6which is mounted in suitable bearings 3I8 in the machine frame. Theshaft 3I6 is provided with a sprocket 328 thereon and .is driven from asprocket 324 fast on a-shaft 326 by a chain 322. Provision is made forrotating the shaft 326 to operate the carton pushing mechanism duringthe lastpart of the carton moving cycle of operation. To this end theshaft 326 is provided with a pawl and ratchet clutch, as illus trated inFigs. 2, 9 and 10. A disc 328 mounted fast on the shaft 326 carries apawl 338'which is adapted to cooperate with a ratchet 334 formedintegral with-a bevel gear 336 and which is mounted free to rotate ontheshaft 326. The bevel gear 336 is driven from a bevel gear 338 fast onthe vertical shaft 348 driven through a bevel gear 342 fast on one endof a shaft 348 and a cooperating bevel gear 28 fast on the shaft 38. Thepawl 338 is normally urged into engagement with a ratchet 334 by meansof a spring 352 attached to the disc 328. As shown in Fig. 9, a pawlstop 346 mounted on a shaft 348 supported in a bracket 358 attached tothe machine frame is arranged to be moved into and out of the path oftravel of thepawl 338 to thereby disengage the said pawl from theratchet 334. The shaft 348 is provided with an arm 356 fast on the topthereof and which projects into the path of travel of an adjustable pm358 on the resetting bar 268. The arm 356 is positioned so that thepawl, stop 346 is moved out of engagement with the pawl 338 when theresetting bar 268 is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, and whichoccurs at the end of the carton moving cycle in the operation of thems.-

chine, as has been previously described. A

spring 368 attached at one end to the arm 356 and at the otherendto aspring hook 362 fast in the'bracket 358 is arranged to return the pawlstop 346 into the path of the pawl arm 338 in order that the pawl armwill be disengaged from the ratchet 334 after it and, consequently, the

the teeth of the. ratchet wheel 48, as is illustrated in Fig. 12.Accordingly, the finger 238 is mounted on the end of an arm 232 fast ona rod 234 which is free to rock in bearings formed in a bracket 236attached to the frame of the machine. An arm 238 also fast on the rod234 is connected by a connecting rod 248 to an arm of a bell crank 24,2freely mounted on a stud 244 supported in a bracket 246 and the otherarm of the bell crank lever 242 isyieldingly connected by a connectingrod 248 to an arm 258-fast on a shaft 252 supported in bearings in abracket 256 which is attached to a bracket 14. A pawl stop 256 fast onthe shaft 252 and normally pos'itioned in the path of travel of the pawl86 is adapted to be moved out of said path when a carton is presentagainst the finger 230, thus allowing the pawl 80 to engage the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 40. When there is no carton present against the finger230, it will be seen that the pawl stop 258 remains in the path 01travel of the pawl, thus preventing the next cycle in the operation ofthe machine from starting.

Provision is made for driving both the incoming and outgoing conveyorsand, as herein shown, driving connections are provided between the maindriving shaft 30 above referred to and the driving pulleys ofboth'conveyors. These driving connections include the vertical shaft 340(see Figs. 2, 5, and 6) uponthe lower end of which is provided a bevelgear 500'arranged to cooperate with a bevel gear 502 on the cross shaft504 whose rotations are transmitted to a second cross shaft 506 througha pair of gears 506, 509. The rotations of the shaft U6 are transmittedto the cross shafts 5|2, 5|4 of" the incoming and outgoing conveyors,respectively, by sprockets 5l6, SW and a chain 5! and also by a secondpair of sprockets 520, 52| and their cooperating chain 522, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 5. The outgoing conveyor cross shaft 5 is connectedto the sprocket 52l through an additional pair'of sprockets 523, 525 andchain 526, the sprocket 525 being attached to the hub of the sprocket 52I; The driving pulley for the incoming belt 44 is mounted upon the crossshaft 5i2 and the driving pulley for the main outgoing belt 456 ismountedupon the end of the cross shaft 5H. Provision is made for drivingthe auxiliary outgoing belt 451. For this purpose its driving pulley ismounted upon a. countershaft 530 driven from the cross shaft 5i4 throughgears 532, 534 and'an idler gear 536.;

From the description thus far, it will be observed that the shaft 3l6operates the package pusher for removing the packages 4'5 from theincoming conveyor 44 and for depositing said packages in advance of thecarrier fingers 52 of the main conveyor by which the packages are in,-termittently moved through the filling, tapping and weighing stations,as above described. During the operation of the machine, after eachpackage has been filled and weighed it is moved by the carrier fingers52 onto the platform or weighing end of a check weighing scale 45!].

The scale locking mechanism for the check weighing scale. see Figs. 2, 6and 7, is operated in a manner similar to the bulk and final loadweighing scales with this exception, that duplicate set screws 550, 552are employed so that the scale beam 450 is free to move either up ordown according to the weight of the package, when the scale beam isunlocked. As herein shown, the locking mechanism comprises duplicatearms 554, 556, provided with the set screws 550, 552, and pivoted at558, 560, respectively in a bracket 562, mounted on the machine frame.The duplicate arms are geared together to operate simultaneously bysegments 564, 566, formed integral with the duplicate arms The upper arm554 is connected to one arm 568 of a bell crank by a connecting rod 515.The bell crank pivoted at 512 in a bracket 514 mounted on the machineframe is provided with a second arm 516 which is connected to the arm H8by a connecting rod 580. During the portion of each cycle, in theoperation of the machine, in which the cartons are being moved, thescale beam 450 is locked by the camv I10, see Fig. 2, which rocks thelever I16 downwardly through the cam roll I14, thereby rocking the leverI18 to the right and through the linkage described, locks the checkweighing scale beam 450. After the carton has been positioned, the setscrews 550, 552 are rocked away from the check weighing scale beam bythe spring 200 under the lever I16, preparatory to the start of thecheck weighing operation.

Referring now to Fig. 6, in accordance with the preferred form of thepresentinvention, provision is made for controlling the-disposition ofthe packages as they are discharged from the check weighing scaleaccording to variations in the weights of the packages from apredetermined value,'preferably so that those packages which are of apredetermined weight are discharged in a normal manner from the machineupon the main outgoing conveyor belt 456 and those packages which varyeither above or below the predetermined weight are'dlscharged in aseparate path to be segregated together upon an auxiliary outgoing belt451. As shown in Fig. 6, the extreme end of the scale beam of the checkweighing scale 450 is'arranged to oscillate between two pairs of springcontracts 45!, 452 and a contact pin 453, preferably of insulatedmaterial, is mounted upon the end of the scale beam to engage with theadjacent spring members of the spring contacts 45 I, 452, respectively,accordingly as the end of the scale beam is raised or lowered under thein fluence of an abnormallyheavy or light package.

' Referring now to Figs. 4 and 8, during the operation of thernachineafter each package has been check weighed, the carrier fingers 52advance the package 46 to remove it from the check weighing scale 450and deposit it upon a receiving plate or platform'454j Provision is thenmade for moving the package from the platform onto a discharge belt 456in the event that the check weighing scale has indicated that the weightof the package does not vary from the predetermined amount or, in otherwords, is correct within predetermined limits, and, as illustrated inFig. 4, this is accomplished by means of a package pusher' 458'wh'ic'hoperates to push the package from the full to the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 4, therebydepositing the package upon the outgoing belt456 by which the packages are discharged in succession from the machinein the normal manner. The operation of the package pusher is such thatunless its operation is interrupted by control mechanism responsive toan indication of either'an' over or an underweight by the check weighingscale, the package pusher continually reciprocates to move successivepackages onto the outgoing belt 456. The package pusher is connected byparallel linkage 460 to a shaft 462 upon which is mounted a cam arm 464carrying a cam roll 466'received within the closed half 468 of a cam 410so as to give substantially a straight-lined motion to the packagepusher. The cam is mounted free upon a cam shaft 3H5 and connection ismade to the shaft through a pawl 4T4 mounted upon the cam and a drivingdisc 416 secured to the cam shaft 316. The driving disc 416 is providedwith a notch 418 which engages the pawl 414 and operates to drive theearn 410 from the cam shaft 316 during normal operation. The nose of thepawl 414 is yieldingly held against the driving disc 416 so as to holdthe pawl in the notch 418 by a leaf spring 480, one end of which issecured in a split stud 482 secured to the back of the cam.

Provision is made for disengaging the nose of the pawl 414 from thenotch 41. in the disc 415 when the check weighing scale 45' hasindicated that a package is either over or underweight and, as hereinshown, a pawl stop 494 arranged to slide in suitable guides in a bracketiorming part I 01 the machine frame is moved inwardly into a position toengage the tail the pawl and elect the desired movement of the pawl intoan inoperative position, by a toggle 4 actuated by a connecting rod 49!forming part of the armature of a magnet 49l.- Referring now to Fig. 8,the two pairs of sprin contacts I, 452 are connected in parallel .in themain circuit from the source of supply leading to the coil of the magnet499 so that wheneither pair of spring contacts 45i, 452 are closed bythe contact member 45! upon the end of the scale beam 459,

in the event that the scale indicates an overweight or an underweightpackage, the magnet 49. will beenerglzedandwiiloperatetoliitthe armatureand through the connecting rod 489 to straighten the toggle and move thepawl stop 494 into a position .to engage the'tail of the pawl 414. Inthis manner the package pusher 459 is prevented Irom operating and as aresult the underweight or overweight package is pushed by the carrierfingers 52 onto the auxiliary outgoing belt 451 to be conveyed from themachine in a path sepa rate from the main discharge of correct weight pk es.

In order to prevent the operating circuit by which the coil of themagnet 499 is energized from opening immediately after it has beenclosed at the pairs of spring contacts I, 452, as might be the case inthe event of vibration or oscillation of the end-oi the scale beam, orin the event that an operator unintentionally disturbs the scale beam,provision is made for establishing a circuit around the spring contacts45L 452 which is arranged to remain closed until it is subsequentlyopened at a predetermined time in the cycle of will remain closed andoperate to hold the pawl 'stop in the path of the tail of the pawl untilsuch the operation of the machine as the shunt is mechanically openedbythe switch indicated generally at 494. The switch 494, as best shown inFig. 6, comprises a stationary spring member 495 mounted upon aninsulating piece 496 depending from a bracket forming a part of themachineirame andalso a movable spring contact 491 secured to andinsulated from an arm 499v comprising one arm of a bell crank, thesecond arm of which is provided with a cam roller 499 which isyieldingly held' by a. spring 4M against a cam 403. The cam is mountedupon the shaft SIS and is so designed that during a portion of eachcycle in the operation of the machine subsequent to the start of theweighing operation, the cam roller will ride on the high part of the camand hold the switch 494 closed, and during the initial portion of thecycle of opera- .tion and before the weighing operation starts,

afterthe switch 494 is,closed and the contacts 49! remain open untilsubsequently closed upon the indication of either an overweight or anunderweight, as above described.

From the description thus far, it will be ob-- ages-are both actuatedfrom the pusher shalt" lli and, as hereindescribed, this shaft isarranged to start its revolution during the latter portion of thepackage carrying cycle of operation or the weighing machine andcontinues during aportion oi the weighing cycle. However, the cam 414for the outgoing pusher 458 is so deslgned that the pusher will remainidle during the first half of the revolution oi. the shaft III to allowthe package previously on the check scale 450, which has just been checkweighed.-

revolution of the shaft 3| the-package is pushed across to theoutgoing'belt 456 in the normal operation of the machine. On the otherhand. if the succeeding package, which has by this time arrived at thecheck scale, indicates a variation from the normal weight the pawl stop494 is arranged as above described, to be pushed into position todisengage the pawl 414 from the notch in the disc 415 and, consequently,prevents the pusher 459 from operating. As there is only one notch 419out in the disc 416 and as the disc is fixed to the shatt 3, it will beapparent that after the. shaft ll! has started its revolution the disccannot be engaged by the pawl 414 until the next cycle of the operation'01 the machine.

'It will also be clear that the circuit shown in Fig. 8 which holds thepawl out of engagement with the disc can be broken by the switch 494 atany time after the shaft 3" has started and before the succeedingpackage arrives at the check scale to be check weighed. Itwill thereforebe seen that the present device as shown is operative to act on anyseries of normal or abnormal weight packagesand to either push the sameto the outgoing conveyor-456 or allow the package to be carried along tothe conveyor 451 by the package pusher 52 as indicated by the checkscale.

In the operation of the machine, the empty cartons are placed on theincoming conveyor 44 where they are carried along until the ioremostcarton reaches the fixed stop 49. The carton is then pushed by thepusher 50 into the path of the intermittently operated carrier fingers52 which advance the carton to the bulk loading scale I49. Afterreceiving its bulk load, the carton is advanced to the tapping mechanisml4 and thence to the final loading scale I50. After receiving its finalload the carton is advanced to the check weighing scale 450. The cartonis then advanced to the platform 454 in front of the pusher 458 wherethe carton is disposed of according to the result of the check weighing.

If the package is of abnormal weight, the pusher 459 is renderedinoperative and the carton is permitted to proceed to the outgoingconveyor belt 451 during the next movement of the carrier fingers 52. Ifthe package is of normal weight the package pusher 459 pushes thepackage onto the outgoing belt 456 by which the packages are dischargedin succession from the machine.

The operation of the machine is controlled by the weighing scales, andin each complete cycle of the machine the weighing operation takes placeand then the package moving operation.

package comes to rest on a weighing scale,the-

last operation performed during the previous cycle is to set theweighing mechanism in operation" by the cam 266 which,throughthemechanism described, resets the armature I58 and rocks the}yoke I34. This operation permits the disc I22 to revolveonehalf'revolution which sets the stirrers I98, I92 in motion, unlocksthe scale beams l 52,

450 and opens the shutters 95 in the hoppers 84. Upon receiving itsrequired weight, each scale beam I52, operating independently,overbalances and opens its armature circuit at I55, whereupon thearmature shaft IE0 is rocked and conse quently the yoke I34 is rocked topermit the disc I22 to make its second one-half revolution. Dur-' ingthis one-half revolution, the above described operations are reversed,that is, the shutters 96 are closed, the stirrers I 90, I92 are stoppedand the scale beamsare locked. Although the pri mary load scale and thesecondary load scale are operated independently, it will be seen thatthe check weighing scale 450 is locked and unlocked through connections.from the secondary scale. Simultaneously with the above describedoperations, each individual weighing scale operates to withdraw its pawlstop 88, 88 through the linkages described so that the package movingcycle of operations is initiated. The sequence of events during thepackage moving operation is briefiy described as follows. With the pawl80 in engagement with the ratchet 40 the sprocket 58' is rotated throughthe bevel gears 68, "I0 thereby moving the carrier fingers 52 forwardone station. The cam shaft 6I is set in motion through the gearingdescribedyand through the cam 266 the resetting bar 268 is moved to theleft, viewing Fig. 2, which disengages the pawl stop 345 to actuate thepackage pushers 50, 458, resets the armature I58 and rocks the yoke I34to permit the weighing operation to be performed again. The abovedescribed cycle of operations contemplates normal operating conditions.However, should one of the packages on the check weighing scale 450indicate a' variation from the predetermined amount, either underweightor overweight, the package pusher 458 would. be ren-.

dered inoperative through the connections disclosed in Figs. 6 and 8,and previously described,-

so that the abnormal packages will be segregated on a separate conveyorbelt 451. I

-By the term package" or packages as used throughout the specificationand claims, I intend to include packages, cartons, cans, and otherreceptacles, and while the preferred embodiment of the present inventionhas been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood thatthe invention may be embodied in otherforms within the scope of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

1. In an automatic weighing machine, in combination, mechanism forfilling successive packages with flowable solid material including aweighing device, a check weighing scale, locking means therefor, saidlocking means being operative to return the scale to initial weighingposition after each weighing operation, package movcheck weighing scalehave completed their operation and the latter locked, assorting meanscon-- trolled by said check weighing scale for separating from thepackages being discharged those whose weights vary from a predeterminedvalue,

and means operatively connected with the package flllingmechanism forinitiating the operation of'the assorting means in timed relation to theoperation of the package filling mechanism whereby to effect theoperation of the check weighing scale and assorting means automaticallyin synchronism with the cycle'of operation of the package fillingmechanism.

2. In a package filling machine for filling pa'ckages with flowablesolid material, in combination,

mechanism for filling successive packages, mechanism for checking theweights of the packages after they have been filled, locking mechanismtherefor, said locking mechanism being operative to return the checkweighing mechanism to initial weighing position after each weighingoperation, package moving mechanism forv moving successive packages toand from filling position "and to and from check weighing position,means for controlling the operation of the locking mechanism from thefilling mechanism,-control mechanism for preventing the initiation ofthe operation of the package moving mechanism until the package fillingand check weighing mechanism have completed their operation and thelatter mechanism and assorting means automatically in synchronism withthe cycle of operation of the package filling mechanism.

3. In a package filling machine for filling packages with flowable solidmaterial, in combination, mechanism for filling successive packages, acheck weighing device, locking means therefor, said locking means beingoperative to return the device to initial weighing position after eachweighing operation, package moving means, con nections between thefilling mechanism and said scale locking means for controlling theoperation of the scale locking means from the filling mechanism, meansfor preventing movement of the packages until the package fillingmechanism and check weighing device have completed their operation andthe latter locked, assorting means controlled by said check weighingdevice for separating packages whose weights are below a p edeterminedvalue from the packages being discharged, and means operativelyconnected with the package fillingmechanism for initiating the operationof the assorting means in timed relation to the operation of the packagefilling mechanism whereby to effect the operation of the check weighingdevice and assorting means automatically in synchronism with the cycleof operation of the package filling mechanism.

4. The combination with mechanism for fillingsuccessive packages withfiowable solid material, of a scale forchecking the weights of thepackages after they havebeen filled, locking means therefor, saidlocking means being operative to return the scale to initial weighingposition after each weighingoperation, package moving mechanism formoving successive packages to and 'from filling positionand to and fromcheck value, and means operatively connected with the package fillingmechanism for initiating the operation of the assorting means in timedrelation to the operation of the package filling mechanism whereby toeffect the operation of the check weighing scale and assorting meansautomatically in synchronism with the cycle of operation of the packagefilling mechanism. I

5. The combination with mechanism for filling successive packages withfiowable solid material, 1

of a check weighing device including a scale, locking means therefor,said locking means being operative to return the scale to initialweighing position after each'weighing operation, pack age moving means,means for preventing movement of the package until the package fillingmechanism and check weighing devicehave completed their operation andthe check weighing device has been locked, means for controlling theoperation of the check weighing scale locking means from the packagefilling mechanism, as-

sorting means controlled by said check weigh-' ing device for separatingfrom the packages being discharged those whose weights vary from apredetermined value, and means operatively connected with the packagefilling mechanism for initiating the operation of the assorting means intimed relation to the operation of the package filling mechanism wherebyto eilfect the operation of the check weighing device and assortingmeans automatically in synchronism with the cycle of operation of the'package filling mechanism.

6. In an automatic weighing machine, in combination, mechanism forfilling successive packages with fiowable solid material, including aweighing device having a scale locking mechanism, mechanism including ascale for checking the weights of the packages after they have beenfilled, locking. mechanism therefor, said last named locking mechanismbeing operative to return the scale to initial weighing position aftereach weighing operation, package moving mechanism for moving successivepackages to and from filling position andto and from check weighingposition, andconnections between the scale locking mechanism of thefilling mechanism and the locking mechanism of the checking mechanismfor controlling the operation of the locking mechanism, of the checkingmechanism ,from the scale locking mechanism of the filling in timedrelation to the operation of the package filling mechanism whereby toeffect the operation of the checking mechanism and assorting mechanismautomatically in synchronism with the cycle of operation of the packagefilling mechanism.

7; 'In an automatic weighing machine in combination, mechanism forfilling successive pack- -ages with fiowable solid material including aweighing device having scale locking mechanism, package-moving means, acheck weighing scale. locking means therefor, said locking means beingoperative to return the scale to initial weighing position after eachweighing-Operation, and connections between said scale locking mechanismand said scale locking means for controlling the operation of the checkweighingscale locking meansfro'm the scale locking mechanism of thefilling mechanism, means for preventing movement of the packages untilthe package filling means and check weighing scale have completed theiroperation and the check weighing scale locked, an assorting mechanism,and means operatively connectedwith the package filling mechanism forinitiating the operation of the.

assorting mechanism in timed relation to the operation of the packagefilling mechanism whereby to eifect the operation of the check weighingscale and assorting mechanism automatically in synchronism with thecycle of operation of the package filling mechanism.

8. In an automatic weighing machine, in combination, mechanism forfilling successive packages with fiowable solid material including a.

weighing device, mechanism for chechng the weights of the packages afterthey have been filled including a scale, locking means therefor, saidlocking means being operative to return the, scale to initial weighingposition: after each weighing operation, package moving mechanismiormovingf successive packages to and from filling position and to andfrom check weighing position, means for controlling the operation of 1the check weighing scale locking means from the'filling mechanism,control mechanism for preventing the initiation of the operation of thepackage moving mechanism until the package filling and check weighingmechanism have completed their operation andv the check weighing scalehas been locked, and assorting means controlled by said check weighingmechanism for separating from the packages being discharged those whoseweights vary from a predetermined value and means operatively connectedwith the nism including package filling means, a check weighing scale,an assorting mechanism, package transferring .mechanism for transferringsimultanecusly packages into and from package filling and check weighingposition, and means operatively connected with the package fillingmechanism for initiating the operation of the assort: ing mechanism intimed relation to the operation of the package filling mechanism wherebyto efi'ect the operation of the check weighing and assorting mechanismautomatically in synchronism with the cycle of operation of thepackaging filling mechanism.

10. An automatic weighing machine for filling aims and of the typeoperating in cycles comprising a weighing device including a scale,means for filling a package positioned upon the scale by feeding saidsolid material into the package, means controlled by the scale forinterrupting said feeding of the material when said scale makes itsweight, a check weighing device Ior checking the weight of a filledpackage during the filling of the first mentioned package, packagemoving means, assorting means, an operating and controlling mechanismfor affecting the operation of the machine in cycles including a drivingelement, a driven element, a control device connecting said elements,means for initiating and causing predetermined movement of the packagewhen the filling scale makes its weight whereby the package movement iscaused to take place during one portion of a complete cycle in theoperation 01 the machine, and means operatively connectedvwith saiddriving element control device for preventing the initiation of theoperation of the asserting means until the weighing operation iscompleted.

11. An automatic'weighingvmachine, compris- I ing a bulk scale, a dripscale, a check weighing scale,,material feeding hoppers for the bulk and,drip scalw respectively, means actuated by said atively connected withsaid package transfer control means for preventing the operation 01 saidasserting device until the package movement is terminated wherebypackages of varying weight are separated by said asserting device.

- STANLEY R. HOWARD.

